THE CULTIVATOR. 
SSP*J8HS 
who adopts a well digested rotary course, can hardly 
fail of success. 
Inquiries. 
Our esteemed friend D. G. M. of Springport, has for¬ 
warded a few inquiries respecting the opinion, that land 
may be made too fine for profitable cultivation ; the va¬ 
lue of Pitt's “ Thrasher and Separator,” and the cost of 
the Hot Air Furnace described by J. J. T. at page 39 
of the current volume of the Cultivator. 
We think the opinion entertained to some extent, that 
land may be by repeated plowings made “ too fine or 
mellow to produce a good crop,” a serious error, which 
has scarce the merit of plausibility in its favor. All 
theory would certainly be against it, as from the known 
manner in which plants derive most of their fertility, it 
is clear that the more completely every particle of the 
soil is exposed to atmospheric agency, the more its pro¬ 
ductive power will be increased : and the experience of 
every well cultivated district or farm in Europe or the 
United States, would be equally opposed. The great 
object of tillage is to make the soil line and mellow, and 
thus increase the chances of a good crop. Soils vary 
much in the labor required to make them mellow, and 
some light soils after being made fine, and sufficiently 
aerated, may require consolidation by rolling or other¬ 
wise, but the best wheat lands are not of this class. 
They generally contain considerable clay, and on 
such, the tillage can scarcely be too thorough. To be 
satisfied of this, one has only to become acquainted with 
the mode of summer fallowing, practiced in the best 
wheat districts of England or Belgium, as described in 
foreign works on agriculture. Look at our best gar¬ 
dens too, those in which the productions are the great¬ 
est, and do we ever hear any complaints that the soil is 
too mellow ? On the contrary, the great object, and 
one on which success is depending, is to make the soil 
rich , deep and mellow ; and it should always be remem¬ 
bered that a garden is a farm in miniature. 
We refer our correspondent to the article by Mr. Be- 
ment in the last Cultivator, on “ Pitt’s Thrasher and 
Separator,” in which its merits, &c. are clearly set forth. 
The great loss which takes place in the usual manner 
of thrashing with machines, seems to render some meth¬ 
od which shall obviate it very desirable, and the ma¬ 
chine of Mr. Pitts appears to supply this desideratum. 
Were it not for the difficulty with which wheat is thrash¬ 
ed and the necessity of marketing it in the fall, there 
are many farmers who would not employ them at all; 
but as they are indispensable in wheat districts, we are 
glad that attention has been turned to their defects, and 
the best method of removing them. 
If any of our friends at Palmyra or Macedon will fur¬ 
nish us with the cost of the Hot Air apparatus, descri¬ 
bed by Mr. Thomas, and furnished at Palmyra, they 
will probably confer a favor on many of our subscribers 
as well as ourselves. Many who are building, or in¬ 
tending to build, have expressed their intention of adopt¬ 
ing that, or some similar method of warming their 
houses, a method we think far superior in every respect 
to the common modes. 
Broom Corn Seed. 
“ W. W. H.” who inquires as to the value of broom 
corn seed for feeding animals, is informed that it is used 
extensively for this purpose, and considered by those 
who raise the corn, a valuable article. We have known 
it ground and fed with other grain to horses with the 
best effect. It was deemed best with other grain, as 
alone it was said to make horses scour. Fed to other 
animals, we have known no such effect produced ; and 
there are many growers of broom corn who scarcely use 
any other grain for their cattle, pigs, or poultry. When 
the brush and the seed are taken into consideration, there 
are few crops pay better than broom corn, as many of 
the farmers on the rich intervales of the Connecticut 
river can testify. 
Curl in Potatoes. 
An intelligent correspondent at Ascot, L, C. in a com¬ 
munication on this disease, after controverting the opin¬ 
ion that it arises from the age of the variety, goes on to 
say, that the celebrated Horticulturist, Mr. Dickson, at¬ 
tributed the disease to the tubers being exhausted by 
over ripening. “ In 1808, and 1809, Mr. D. observed 
that cuts taken from the least ripened end of a long flat 
potato, produced healthy plants, while those from the 
dry end did not vegetate, or produced diseased or curl¬ 
ed plants.” Subsequent experiments proved the cor¬ 
rectness of Mr. D.’s observations that setting over ripe 
seed was one cause of the curl ; and another, employ¬ 
ing seed stock that had been any considerable time ex¬ 
posed to the light and air, instead of being closely cover¬ 
ed up with earth, sarid or stravo. To remedy and pre¬ 
vent curl, it is recommended, 1st, to use for seed, pota¬ 
toes that are immature, or not fully ripened. 2d, to 
plant late what is intended for seed the following year, 
and prevent them flowering by picking off the flower 
buds as they appear. 3, carefully pitting or covering 
up the seed stock from the time they are lifted, until 
they are to be used in the spring. It was ascertained 
by a variety of experiments, that when seed potatoes 
are put into barns or out-houses, and exposed to the air 
in spring, the crop seldom fails of being curled, or 
should they escape the first year, if the produce of these 
is again planted, it is probable more than the half will 
be diseased the following year. Mr. Rhoades may per¬ 
haps trace the curl in his “ long keeps” to over ripen¬ 
ing of the stock, or exposure of the seed in spring to the 
air sometime before planting ; it would be useful to 
himself and others to test the accuracy of the above ex¬ 
periments by repeating them on his “ long keeps” if he 
has not already discovered them, and perhaps the result 
may be, that they will be ‘ long keeps' still.” 
Disease of Lambs. 
“ In this section of Canada there has been a very great loss 
of lambs this season. I have lost eighteen out of twenty-three 
—almost all others in a greater or less proportion. The lambs, 
when dropped, are as fine in appearance as usual, but have 
swellings (hard lumps) in their throats, some larger, some 
smaller, which disables them from swallowing, and they die 
of suffocation. Will you have the goodness to ask through the 
Cultivator, 1st, the cause; 2d, the cure, if any ; by which 
means you will confer a great favor on our farmers. I should 
observe that the effect is the same on both high and low lands.” 
We give place to the foregoing, willingly, and hope it 
will elicit replies from some who are acquainted with 
the cause and cure of ihe disease, should there be such 
among our readers. We have never seen among our 
lambs a case of the swelled neck ; but from the notices 
that have appeared in the Genesee Farmer, particular¬ 
ly vol. 6, page 217, and vol. 8th, page 13, it would seem 
to have been quite a common, as well as formidable dis¬ 
ease in some parts of our country. Some, it appears, 
attribute the complaint to feeding the ewes on oats, and 
most seem to consider it as consequent on a high condi¬ 
tion of the ewes. Some of the most skilful sheep grow¬ 
ers in this State, have suffered much from this disease 
in their lambs. — 
Hoof Ail. 
A correspondent from Apulia, Onondaga Co., after 
controverting the position that this disease is usually 
caused by ergot, and correcting some errors into which 
he thinks former correspondents of the Monthly Gene¬ 
see Farmer and the Cultivator have fallen, in mistaking 
other diseases for the hoof ail, thus details his own 
experience with the disease, and his mode of treat¬ 
ment. 
“ A few years since I had a boy to do my foddering while ab¬ 
sent on a journey. While I was gone, a thaw came on and 
broke up the brook where my cattle were watered, so that my 
cows got into it. The weather came on suddenly severely cold 
and freezing, and when I returned home, I discovered one of my 
cows to kick her hind feet, and appear in great distress. I at 
first supposed she had slipped in the yard, but after a while 
found I was mistaken, as on examining her foot, I found matter 
had formed under the upper edge of the hoofs, and that these 
were in a fair way to come off. I immediately applied spirits 
of turpentine to her feet, but they were so bad I had hard work 
to save her hoofs. I continued to use the turpentine liberally, 
and her lameness abated, till in the month of April her lameness 
returned suddenly, and her legs swelled much. I took a solu¬ 
tion of saltpetre and beef brine, washed her legs twice and then 
used the spirits of turpentine until a cure was effected. The 
foot must be clean and dry or the turpentine will not penetrate. 
It should be put on the foot as soon as lameness is discovered, 
and as a preventive against the effects of frost, I frequently put 
it on the feet of my well cattle. As this cow had been fed on 
good timothy that contained no ergot, I suppose her feet had 
been frozen.” 
In a variety of other instances among his own cattle and 
calves, our correspondent imagines he was able to trace 
the disease to freezing, and in every instance, by a free 
use of turpentine, succeeded in saving them. He says— 
“ I think the reason why the hoof comes off, is, it is frozen at 
the toe, and maturates, as no vent can be found short of 
the heel. When the hoof grows and turns up, it has been fro¬ 
zen, but not sufficient to maturate.” 
Worm in the head of Sheep. 
John Cain. Esq., of Rutland, Vermont, wishes some 
information “respecting the disease in sheep called the 
‘ Grub in the head whether there is any preventive ; 
and whether there is any remedy after the attack.” 
The disease is doubtless caused by the sheep fly call¬ 
ed the CEstrus ovis depositing its egg within the nostril 
of the sheep. These soon hatch and the larvae find their 
way at once to the interior of the nose into the frontal 
sinews where they remain till the following spring. If 
in considerable numbers, they cause great distress and 
irritation, and not unfrequently death. The best pre¬ 
ventive we have ever known, was to smear the sheep’s 
nose with tar, and if during the summer the appearance 
or conduct of the animal indicated that the fly was pre¬ 
sent, (which may be known by their restless agitated 
manner,) let the operation be several times repeated. 
Perhaps a better way is, have troughs for the sheep, the 
bottom smeared with tar, and this frequently sprinkled 
with salt, as in this way the sheep will secure the benefit 
derived from the tar and its odor, without trouble. As to 
a “ remedy,” we give the following from Blacklpck’s 
celebrated Treatise on Sheep, but we have never had 
occasion to try the prescription, and cannot speak from 
experience of its value : 
“ For the grub or worm, tobacco smoke is the only available 
remedy, and a very good one, being easily brought in contact 
with the worms, and when properly administered, certain in its 
effects. One person secures the sheep, holding the head in a 
convenient position, while another having half filled a pipe with 
tobacco, and kindled it in the usual manner, places one or two 
folds of a handkerchief over the opening of the bowl, then pass¬ 
es the tube a good way up the nostril, applies his mouth to the 
covered bowl, and blows vigorously through the covering. 
When this has been continued a few seconds, the pipe is with¬ 
drawn, and the operation repeated on the other nostril.” 
Wm. Kingham is referred to the preceding article for 
a reply to his query respecting the Sheep Worm. 
Labor Saving Machines. 
Our friend “ H. C.” in the western part of this State, 
has furnished us a description of a machine invented by 
him for loading manure, hay, or grain, and unloading 
the same, which so far as we understand it, is certainly 
91 
ingenious. It appears to us, however, to lack the great 
recommendation of any implement intended for general 
use among farmers, simplicity, as the more complicated 
any machinery is, the more liable it must be, in inexpe¬ 
rienced hands to get out of repair. It does not seem 
that “ H. C.” has ever put his invention into actual op¬ 
eration, which after all, must be the test in such mat¬ 
ters. Apy machine which can be made to do what he 
proposes to have his perform, would be most accepta¬ 
ble to the farmer. — 
The Wool Market. 
We have room only for the conclusion of “A Wool 
Grower’s” article on the price of wool the ensuing sea¬ 
son. After giving several reasons why farmers should 
not submit to last year’s prices, he says : 
“ Aside from all I have advanced, another very im¬ 
portant fact must be mentioned, that our markets were 
never more bare of wool than at the present time ; and 
again, the diminished quantity of fine wool which will 
be shorn this year, owing to the immense slaughter of 
grade Saxon sheep, within the last eight months. I am 
aware of an individual having butchered, in an adjoin¬ 
ing county, over 3,000, the profits of which was princi¬ 
pally derived from the sale of the pelts. In forming an 
estimate, therefore, from what I have said, which has 
been based on what I deem correct data and some re¬ 
flection, I would say, that fine wools will command from 
5 to 10 cents beyond last year’s prices ; and that medi¬ 
um wool, from its greater abundance, not so much, say 
4 to 8 cents advance. 
“ Now, let us all be cautious and firm. Manufacturers 
and wool speculators will overflow as usual, with “ cock 
and bull” stories. We shall have a deranged currency 
and “ all that sort of thing, and every thing else in the 
world,” told us over and over again, to gull a»d hum¬ 
bug : but $5=* let us beware and not be caught with tain¬ 
ted bait. Now having exhausted the argument, let us 
one and all stand by our-wool.” 
Tompkins Co., N. Y. 
Poudrette—Inquiry. 
“ B. C. L.” who inquires respecting the manufacture 
of Poudrette, is informed that the process is the sub¬ 
ject of a patent, and therefore kept secret ; still enough 
is knowm to enable any farmer to prepare an article from 
his night soil that will prove a most valuable manure. 
Lime, ashes, plaster, charcoal, and other similar sub¬ 
stances, if mixed with the night soil, absorb the es¬ 
caping gases, and render it a dry inodorous substance. 
Spreading and drying is however requisite. 
To his inquiry respecting a bone mill of little cost or 
power, we would say we have noticed no such in this 
country ; but as they are in common use in England, 
and consist only of fluted or grooved iron rollers, (usu¬ 
ally two pair, one for the first crushing, and the other 
for pulverizing them,) they might be easily constructed 
by any one who wished a machine of the kind. Tht 
cost could not be great. Some have attempted tha 
grinding of bones in a common mill, but the effluvia 
produced in the process is intolerable. By English far¬ 
mers, what are called half inch bones, or bones crushed 
to that degree of fineness, are preferred to bone dust, as 
their effect, if not quite so quick, is greater and more 
permanent. — 
Hart’s Plow. 
Our correspondent at St. Stephens, Ala., who inquires 
the price of Hart’s plow, noticed in the first number of 
the current volume, is informed that the implement al¬ 
luded to, is an English one, and that the price or cost 
of procuring one, is unknown to us. In its construction 
and ease of draft, it nearly resembles Howard’s wheel 
plow made at Boston, and we presume the latter im¬ 
plement will work equally well. The prices of How¬ 
ard’s plow vary from 10 to 15 dollars, with, or without 
wheels, cutters, &tc. — 
Weight of a Yearling Bull. 
A letter from J. & H. L. R. Sanford, of Volney, Os¬ 
wego County, says :— “ We have a Short Horn Durham 
bull, which was one year old on the 29th of April last, 
and on that day weighed ten hundred and fifty pounds. 
He is of a dark red color, except some spots of white 
on the head and belly, and was bred and owned by John 
Stevens, Esq., of Lysander, until the 20th of March last. 
Millet—Inquiry. 
A “ Subscriber” at Killingly, Ct. inquires whether 
millet may not be raised with profit; at what time it 
should be sown ; what kind of soil is most suitable, 
what quantity of seed per acre ; and whether for enrich¬ 
ing land by plowing in as a green crop it would not be 
as valuable as oats, buckwheat, or clover? 
The best soil for millet, is a kind, rich soil, and one 
in which vegetable mold is abundant, is to be preferred ; 
but it will produce a good crop on any land of fair qual¬ 
ity. From three pecks to a bushel of seed per acre is 
used. If intended to be mown for hay, more seed is to 
be sown ; if for the seed, a smaller quantity is better. 
It may be sown any time between May and July, as it 
will come to maturity in from 70 to 90 days. On good 
ground, it will yield three or four tons on an acre. To 
cure it for hay, it should be cut and exposed to the sun 
one day, then made into cocks, which are to be opened and 
turned as usual; it cures easily, and is eaten with avid¬ 
ity by all animals. If the grain is wanted, let it stand 
till the head turns yellow ; dry it and thrash out the 
seed, and then mow or stack it away for hay. It will 
not be quite as good as when cut earlier ; but still it ia 
a valuable and nutritious food. As a green crop vr* 
